Linux Business Week & Coupons

You get to the checkout page and there is a space to enter a Shein coupon code. ‘Oh,’ you think to yourself, ‘I didn’t know they had coupons.’ A quick Google search later and you’ve found a coupon code that will get you 30% off, but you need to up the total value of the items in your shopping cart to $100. No problem, there were some shoes that you had looked at earlier but decided to pass on. With the discount they’d be almost free! A week later you get an email thanking you for your recent purchase, and here’s a special coupon just for you for 15% off any full price item. Well, you don’t really need anything but it sure would be a shame to just let that coupon go to waste. And besides, they did make it just for you! So you find a nice dress, you don’t need it now but it’s cute and besides that you are getting a deal! And just like that, Shein has convinced you to spend more on their website than you ever intended to in the first place.

The Psychology of Coupons

So, how did Shein accomplish the feat of parting you from more of your hard-earned money? Quite simple, they used the psychology behind coupons. Even though consumer habits have changed drastically over the last few decades with the advent of the shopping mall and then online shopping, coupons have remained a constant. Why is that? Well,… Read the rest